FlagSmith Technology Intelligence

What is Flagsmith?

Flagsmith is an open-source feature flag and remote config service. It provides feature management capabilities that can be self-hosted or used as a managed cloud service. Teams gain control over feature releases without redeployment.

The platform offers both open-source and enterprise editions, making it accessible for startups while scaling for large organizations needing advanced controls.

Key Features

Feature Flags

• Boolean: Simple on/off toggles
• Multivariate: String/number values
• Segments: User targeting rules
• Environments: Dev/staging/prod

Remote Config

• Dynamic: Change values instantly
• Typed: JSON, strings, numbers
• Versioned: Change history

Deployment Options

• Cloud: Managed SaaS
• Self-hosted: Docker/Kubernetes
• Edge proxy: Low latency

Use Cases

Controlled Rollouts

Development teams release features to internal users first, then expand to beta testers, finally reaching all users. Reduces blast radius of bugs.

Configuration Management

Operations teams manage application settings without deployments. Change API endpoints, rate limits, or feature parameters on the fly.

Self-Hosted Requirements

Organizations with strict data residency or compliance requirements deploy Flagsmith on their own infrastructure while maintaining full control.

A/B Testing

Product teams test variations with percentage rollouts. Measure which version performs better before committing to a direction.

Code Examples

JavaScript SDK

import flagsmith from 'flagsmith';

flagsmith.init({
    environmentID: 'YOUR_ENV_ID',
    onChange: (oldFlags, params) => {
        console.log('Flags updated');
    }
});

Check Feature

// Check if feature is enabled
if (flagsmith.hasFeature('new_dashboard')) {
    renderNewDashboard();
}

// Get remote config value
const maxItems = flagsmith.getValue('max_cart_items');
console.log(`Cart limit: ${maxItems}`);

Python SDK

from flagsmith import Flagsmith

flagsmith = Flagsmith(environment_key="YOUR_KEY")
flags = flagsmith.get_environment_flags()

if flags.is_feature_enabled("beta_feature"):
    enable_beta()

Comparison

vs LaunchDarkly

• Pricing: Flagsmith more affordable
• Self-host: Flagsmith open-source
• Features: LaunchDarkly more mature

vs Unleash

• UI: Flagsmith more polished
• Remote config: Flagsmith stronger
• Community: Both active open-source

Why Flagsmith

• Open-source with enterprise support
• Flexible deployment options
• Cost-effective scaling
• Combined flags and config